


I Have to Burn Your Kingdom Down

by Rachy



Category: PIERCE Tamora - Works, Tortall - Tamora Pierce
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Decathlon, F/M, Goldenlake, Goldenlake Decathlon, Minor Character Death, What if?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-23
Updated: 2012-06-23
Packaged: 2017-11-08 10:01:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 404
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/442001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rachy/pseuds/Rachy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU. 'What if' Kaddar married someone else? 4 ways Carthak starts to shatter and his partner is to blame.<br/>Written for Goldenlake's 2012 Decathlon, 4x100 Relay.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Have to Burn Your Kingdom Down

**Author's Note:**

> Title taken from Florence and the Machine's 'Seven Devils'. Inspired by reading many AU Hunger Games fic, and 'the princess in the Copper Isles'.  
> Written for Goldenlake's '4x100 'what if' relay in the 2012 Decathlon.

1.

He knows he is being discourteous but he doesn’t concentrate when he looks at her. His eyes glance and notice little things, the vibrant clash of colour in her gown, how she barely reaches his shoulder, the way her sister,younger still, lets his bride clutch her hand.

His uncle gestures, savagely smiling, and he takes her hand, ghosting his lips across her knuckles. He looks up and meets her eyes, fiery, determined, passionate and older than her eleven years and he wonders if her sister was instead holding her back. His breath catches and he swallows.

“Lady Saraiyu, shall we?”

 

2.

“Poison!” His wife’s scream echoes through the hall, and it takes seconds for him to arrive at the dais. Daine stands by the table, clearly shocked. Ozorne’s hand slides limply from his throat, and his body slumps in his chair. Kaddar skates his fingers across Ozorne’s swelling throat and feels no pulse.

“Imajane.” He tries to pacify. 

She points sharply at Daine, her fingers digging into his arm. “She poisoned him.” 

“Countess - ” Numair tries, as the Tortallans circle Daine protectively behind him.

“My husband is now Emperor. She murdered the former Emperor. Is that not an act of war?”

 

3.

He slides the wedding band on her finger and his eyes meet hers, blank and unfeeling. He tugs the lace veil over her curled hair, pressing his lips against hers when prompted. She does not respond at all, and once they leave the temple she drags her feet and points in the direction of the Graveyard Hag’s temple. They enter the temple and he kneels while she pays her blessings, dropping a ring from Ozorne on the floor absently. As she kneels at the Crone’s feet, he sees a flicker of old Daine, and a strange light enters her eyes.

 

4.

His bride wears a dress on their wedding day, and there is a smirk on her face when she sees his mother’s ill-hidden relief. 

Their carriage back to the palace is adorned with flowers, and the crowds are still adoring, but many of the crowd are silent.

She dances sparingly with his friends at their wedding feast, and they hold her distantly, their loss to her still bitter, and he receives only one half-hearted lewd joke.

He lets her participate in his council, but when she arrives and gives a resounding speech, only half of his councillors stay to listen.

**Author's Note:**

> 1\. Kaddar is 22 to Sarai's 11, Emperor Mage discarded.  
> 2\. Instead of marrying Rubinyan, Imajane (22) is betrothed to Kaddar (10) and they wed when he is 13.  
> 3\. Ozorne's plans for Daine succeed, Numair dies and Daine becomes a drugged duchess.  
> 4\. Kaddar marries Kally once she has become a lady knight.


End file.
